Photograph Gallery Stage 65 Axbridge to Burnham on Sea : Walking Englishman's 1000 Mile Walk

Photograph Gallery Stage 65 Axbridge to Burnham on Sea

Posted by Mike on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Photograph Gallery Stage 65 Axbridge to Burnham on Sea, Thursday 28th July 2011

The Story:

After a really great night in lovely Axbridge, including sitting in during rehearsals by Skrewloose, a local rock band who played our type of music really well, Strolling Steve and I were ready by 8.00am for a walk to the seaside. We had a few hills to negotiate first though, the West Mendip Hills were inviting us on to them. Briskly walking from Axbridge we began our day by following the Strawberry Line for a mile plus and including a walk through a tunnel of about 80 metres before climbing to the Mendips by way of Kings Wood. During the woodland section we met Rachel, a delightful lady walking her dog Benn. She enjoyed listening to our story and wished us well on our way. Thank you Rachel.

On emerging from Kings Wood we crossed grass covered West Mendip topland to Wavering Down, then Compton Hill and then to the limestone exposed top of Crook Peak. The view was tremendous and if it had not been for haze it would have been better. The most immediate attention grabber was the M5 motorway and the roar of all its traffic which came from it directly below us. We could see it for miles southwards to Bridgewater and for miles north towards Bristol. We could also see the southwest side of the city including Portishead and Clevedon. We could see all the West Mendip Range, the Somerset Levels, Cheddar Reservoir and just through the haze we could see Glastonbury Tor. We took it all in from Crook Peak where we took a break. In between our view taking we spoke to other walkers who also came for the view. One walker called Nick showed great interest in our walk and his friendly Boxer dog took great interest in Strolling Steve, to the point of slathering all over his trousers! It was a good time, indeed the walk had been a good one so far. However, on leaving the summit of Crook Peak something malevolent happened.

We decided to descend the hill, height 191m by the south side. It looked easy enough and we got down to the 100m level easily. Then we came to a line of gorse. Sheep trods initially helped us to get to about the 80m level (we were descending to the road at 10m) but then they became difficult to follow. Scrub got denser, Hawthorne supplemented the gorse to make an impenetrable barrier. We did try for a while to negotiate a way through but after about six scatches to my leading right arm we gave up. 30 minutes after leaving the summit of Crook Peak we were back where we had started. Beaten but not deterred we followed the West Mendip Way track off the innocent looking demonic hill. I have the scars to prove it!

Crook Peak cast its spell over us for the rest of the day. First came a tiring two mile walk along road from Loxton to Bleadon but at least we got welcome relief from the dark spirits. Chris and Emily, my stepson and his charming wife, while travelling home from holiday in Cornwall, met us there for a drink and I am sure they kept the demons at bay. After drinks they walked with us for a mile and it was trouble free. When they left to continue their journey home we were troubled again. We walked a mile over Bleadon Level to within sight of our intended finish in Brean. Hope of an easy finish was dashed though when we reached a bridge over a river, a weir bridge which was gated, barred, chained and locked. There was no way over, we had to go back the mile we had just walked. Back in the direction of Crook Peak which we looked directly at when we turned. It appeared dark and ghostly. Strolling Steve said “It won’t let us escape!” It seemed that way.

The river crossing that never was caused us to follow a long dusty track, straight busy road and then a track which was neglected, overgrown, fielded by feisty horses and blocked by a high gate which we climbed over, for three extra miles. It also brought us to the wrong side of Brean. Thus we made a decision, the malevolent hill would not be allowed to win. We set a new end target, Burnham on Sea. OK, it was three miles more but the forced detour had put us out of place and we were not going to backtrack. What was lost today would be gained tomorrow by walking to Burnham and shortening the next day. Grinning and bearing it we pushed on to Burnham on Sea and by doing so the finale half mile was along a lovely sandy beach. It was great fun and I smiled. We had escaped the hill.

Strolling Steves Daily Statistics:

Scenery: 5/10 – The good, the bad and the ugly.

History: 2/10 – Well hidden.

Interest: 2/10 – Occasional moments in a barren wilderness.

Track: 7/10 – Generally ok and well marked.

Comment: Nothing beyond the Mendips Hills.

The Photographs: